Are Barcelona Making a Mockery of Cesc Fabregas? bleacherreport ... good reading
By Ryan Kusy(Contributor) on August 5, 2011 734 reads
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What seems to be the one of the longest running transfer sagas in history, is now slowly inching towards a close, or so we've been told. The Fabregas and Barcelona love affair has gone on long enough.
For what seems like forever, Barcelona and seemingly every one of their players, president, sporting director, coaches and even local politicians have pleaded for Cesc to jump ship on Arsenal.
To Fab's credit, he has acted like professional considering his situation. One must consider that he is being courted by arguably the best club in the history of football. Joining the likes of Messi, Xavi, David Villa, Iniesta among numerous other international players, is an opportunity that very few footballers would ever pass up.
Barcelona can practically guarantee players success year after year. Furthermore, he was also a product of their famed youth academy, La Masia, and all of this before you can recall that he was born in Spain, and it is there that his family resides.
More so, he's on the Spanish national team that includes roughly 12 players from Barcelona, including best friends Gerard Pique and Carlos Puyol, which caused some problems during the World Cup in 2010, and International breaks.
However despite all of this, Fabregas has never come out and stated he will quit Arsenal to force through a move, nor has he "gone on strike" as we have seen countless players resort to as a last-ditch effort.
Fabregas doesn't use his twitter to complain about still being in Arsenal players either, which a lesson Joey Barton could use.
But in the end, no one can fault him for having a love for Barcelona, he has so many ties to the club, that Arsenal fans knew it was just a matter of time before Barcelona came calling for their former youth star.
When fans see how Carlos Tevez has quit on Man City or Alex Sanchez on Udinese or Javier Pastore on Palermo, it's a bit of relief to see there are still professionals in this game when it comes to Fabregas' behavior.
Sure, granted his head has been turned by the Spanish Giants, whose wouldn't be? But in the whole scheme of things, he has been a true professional and shown the utmost respect to Arsenal and their fans.
However the respect Barcelona have showed Fabregas, and more importantly Arsenal, has been quite the opposite, and borderline disgraceful.
Barcelona are one of the richest clubs in the world. Granted they are hundreds of millions of euros in debt, but they generate one of the highest profit revenues in the world of sports.
They have spent an exorbitant amount of money on players in the past, but when it has come to Fabregas, the money has seemingly gone missing.
When Barcelona have thrown money around on players like, David Villa - £32 million, Alexis Sanchez- £24.2 million (with bonuses to be added on), Javier Mascherano- £22 milion, Alex Hleb- £17 million, Theirry Henry- £24 million, they clearly don't have a problem forking out the cash to land a player they are interested in.
Many times, Barcelona have been more than willing to meet the buy-out clause or club valuation of a player in order to land them as well.
Arsenal's evaluation, originally estimated around £50 million to £60 million, has dropped down to an even £40 million. Which in many fans' eyes, is much lower than what they value the club's captain.
He has lit up the Premier League at times during the years at Arsenal, despite a nagging hamstring injury, and has notched over 10 assists in the past 3 seasons.
How much is Fabregas worth?
Less than £30 million
£30 to £40 million
£40 to £50 million
Greater than £50 million
Submit Vote vote to see results How much is Fabregas worth?
Less than £30 million
3.8%
£30 to £40 million
16.3%
£40 to £50 million
42.5%
Greater than £50 million
37.5%
Total votes: 160
Barcelona have come in with a far less evaluation of the player with a first bid of somewhere near £29.2 million, which was immediately turned down by the Arsenal board.
Further bids discussed of £31.1 million and £33.2 million were also rejected by the board, who with the backing of majority share holder Stan Kroenke, have been told not to budge with their negotiations.
Barcelona have now reportedly come in with the "big" offer that will bring Fab back home of...£35 million.
Disgraceful and still well short of Arsenal's asking price, the bid was rejected without thought, and it was reported that Arsenal representatives left the meeting immediately, disgusted with Barcelona's lack respect to the club.
However, it is not so much the unsuccessful bids that have infuriated Arsenal and the board, it's how Barcelona wanted to pay the fee that is the breaking point.
Barcelona claim to only be able to pay £10 million this year, with the rest to be paid in installments, and £5 million in bonus related incentives.
As well as the fact that Barcelona seem in no hurry to conclude the transfer saga that is rapidly ruining Arsenal's season before it has even started.
The need to reinvest the money received from the Fabregas transfer would be more than ever for the club after losing not only their team captain, but also their talismanic player and £10 million up front is not nearly enough.
Fabregas has been put in quite the unfortunate situation of this long-running transfer saga. The inability for Barcelona to either pay up and go away, has portrayed Fabregas in the wrong light.
The teasing from Barcelona players that say they would "love to have him," or he has "Barcelona DNA," is unsettling for him, yet the club refuse to show the same level action they speak of.
How much longer will Fab be training with Arsenal?
Tom Dulat/Getty Images On a more personal level, Barcelona's players to club president have spoken of the class Fabregas has undoubtedly has, yet the fail to want to pay for such class.
They have asked him to a pay cut of more than £1.6 million per year over the length of his contract. Which would reduce his wages to roughly £3 million a year.
Whereas, Arsenal have offered him a two-year extension on his deal to raise his wages to £7 million per annum.
Great players get paid less when switching clubs? Since when?
They have also suggested Fabregas pay £4 million out of his own pocket to help finance the transfer cost and go on strike until the deal has been completed.
Just to recap now. They want Fabregas to take a wage cut AND finance his transfer to Barcelona...
Similar to last summer, Fabregas isn't even a high priority to Barcelona. They buy their top targets first, then it's time to focus on Fab. They view his transfer as a matter of time.
They put little respect into their negotiations with Arsenal, and they fail to realize the more public they make their dealings with Arsenal, the less chances Arsenal will sell Fabregas to them, regardless if they meet their asking price.
Barcelona have in many instances put Arsenal in a no-win situation. Arsenal are either left with an unhappy captain and key player, or they are left with a pile of cash, and little time left to reinvest the money.
Barcelona are managing to disrupt everything Wenger has been working on for years now by slowly, but surely, tearing a hole in the heart of Arsenal.
Barcelona talk of respect for Arsenal, and their love for Fabregas, yet they failed to show either of those traits in their pursuit of the Spaniard. Barcelona show all the class in the world on the pitch, but they truly lack any off it.
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